Meeting of Federations (NFIR) with Member Staff and DG (Personnel) on 7th February 2018

Meeting of Federations (NFIR) with Member Staff and DG (Personnel) on7th February 2018

Important points requiring priority attention for redressal

(i) PNM and formal meetings are not being held regularly at Railway Board's level resulting several issues continued unresolved. Appropriate action may be taken for conducting
meetings regularly. Special priority be given to resolve pending PNM items.
(ii) In most of the cases, the replies to Federation's letters are not sent. Machinery needs to be tightened for ensuring prompt replies to Federation's letters.
(iii) Agreements reached through formal negotiations are not being honoured resulting serious resentment among staff. A few are cited below as example:-

(a) Replacement GP 4600/- with GP 4800/- (for SSEs, Inspectors/Supervisors etc).

(b) Stepping up of pay of Loco inspectors inducted prior to 01/01/2006.

(c) NFIR's PNM agreement for stepping up of pay of senior-most SSOs (Accounts) w.e.f.0110112006 to GP 5400/-.

(d) Implementation of ratio l0 :20 :20 : 50 for Track Maintainers in 6th CPC GP 2800/-, 2400/-,1900/- & 1800/- respectively-NFIR's PNM agreement not implemented.

(e) Manning of coaches by Ticket Checking Staff - restoration of Board's orders of 2000 (NFIR's PNM agreement) not implemented yet.

(f) Placement of Loco Pilot Mail/Express in GP 4600/-.

(g) Railway Board's norms for creation of posts of Helpers, ESMs, SSEs/JEs (Signal) not implemented. PNM agreement on item No. 14/2010 not implemented.

(iv) Running Staff Allowances issues not yet resolved. Federation's proposal for revision of Kilometrage rates need to be accepted duly retaining pay element of 55 & 30% for retirement and other purposes.


(v) Merger of Technicians Grade-II with Grade-I:- While reaching an agreement on 22nd July 2016 on revision of percentages of Technicians, the Railway Board had assured to process the merger proposal with Ministry of Finance for obtaining clearance. Though 1% years has passed, their been no finality. This may kindly be expedited.

(vi) Upgradation of Apex level Group 'C' posts to Group 'B' Gazetted(3335 posts):- Although agreed for upgrading the posts, no orders have been issued even after a lapse officious years. This needs to be expedited on top priority.

(vii) Vacancies continued to remain unfilled, leading additional burden on staff. Action be taken to fill all vacancies at the earliest.

(viii) Outsourcing of activities, closure of establishments etc., is being resorted to indiscriminately, without consultations and without realizing the adverse effects on efficiency. These are required to be reviewed.

(ix) Revision of designations:- NFIR's proposals not yet considered.

(x) Graduate Engineers are extremely agitated over "ZERO" career growth - NFIR's PNM agenda as well letters may be connected for taking action for career growth of engineers.

(xi) MACPS issues discussed in the PNM meetings are yet to be resolved. Assurance was given for holding meeting at the level of MS &FC, but unfortunately there has been no progress.

NFIR also insisted that 'Very Good' bench marking needs to be scrapped in Railways and this subject was discussed with CRB on 05/01/2018, on subsequently, CRB has assured to solve this problem.

(xii) Continuation of LARGENESS:- Expeditious action may kindly be taken for continuance of LARGENESS in the light of Supreme Court's Order giving free hand to Railway Ministry to re-visit the Scheme and take conscious decision. It needs to be appreciated that the Scheme has been introduced in public interest as well the personal safety of staff working in the safety categories, therefore it should be continued and Board's letter dated 27/10/2017 may also be withdrawn.

(xiii) Inter Railway request transfer applications:- In the case of ex-servicemen re-employed in Railways, the 5 years minimum service condition needs to be relaxed as demanded by federation vide its PNM agenda item. This subject was also discussed by the Federation with CRB on 05/01/2018, consequently, the CRB has agreed to relax, but however, instructions have not been issued.

(xiv) Induction of Act Apprentices in GP 1800/- in the Safety category posts in exigency:- GMs be empowered to take decision.

(xv) Regularization of Quasi Administrative Staff in the Railways - Discussed in the full board meeting held on 07/02/2014. However decision to restore the policy of 1973/1977 has not yet been taken NFIR's detailed note on the subject may kindly be considered and approval accorded for absorption of Quasi-staff.

NFIR urges positive action for satisfactory redressal of issues listed above.

(Dr.M.Raghavaiah)
General Secretary

Source: NFIR

Railways has 13,000 'absentee' employees, will terminate services

 Railways has 13,000 'absentee' employees, will terminate services

The railways had launched a drive to improve performance of the organisation and boost the morale of sincere and diligent employees.

The Indian Railways has identified more than 13,000 employees in its ranks who are on "unauthorised" leave for a long time and initiated disciplinary action to terminate their services, it said Friday.

The railways had launched a drive to improve performance of the organisation and boost the morale of sincere and diligent employees. The action is part of that campaign.

"A massive drive to identify long-term absentees in various establishments of Railways has been initiated. As a result of the drive, more than 13,000 employees out of about 13 lakh employees were found to be on unauthorised absence for a long time," the railways said in a statement.

The establishment has initiated disciplinary action under the rules to terminate the service of such absentees.

"Railways have instructed all officers and supervisors to weed out these employees from the employees’ rolls after following due process," the statement stated.

Hindi Version

 ऐसे रेल कर्मचारी, जो लंबे समय से बिना किसी अनुमति के अनुपस्थित चल रहे हैं, या फिर सरकारी नौकरी के नाम पर बिना उपस्थिति दर्ज कराएं, मौज काट रहे हैं, उनके ऊपर अब रेल मंत्रालय का डंडा चलने वाला है. दरअसल, भारतीय रेलवे ने ऐसे 13,000 कर्मचारियों की पहचान की है जो कि लंबे समय से 'अनाधिकृत' रूप से अनुपस्थित चल रहे हैं. इन कर्मचारियों की सेवाएं समाप्त करने की अनुशासनात्मक कार्रवाई शुरू की गई है.

रेलवे के बयान में कहा गया है कि मंत्रालय ने संगठन का प्रदर्शन बेहतर करने और निष्ठावान व मेहनती कर्मचारियों का मनोबल बढ़ाने के लिए एक अभियान शुरू किया था. यह कार्रवाई इसी अभियान का हिस्सा है.

इसके अनुसार, 'रेलवे के विभिन्न प्रतिष्ठानों में लंबे समय से अनुपस्थित कर्मचारियों की पहचान करने के लिए एक व्यापक अभियान शुरू किया गया. इस अभियान के परिणाम में रेलवे ने अपने लगभग 13 लाख कर्मचारियों में से 13 हजार से भी अधिक ऐसे कर्मचारियों की पहचान की है, जो लंबे समय से अनाधिकृत तौर पर अनुपस्थित हैं.' इसके अनुसार रेलवे ने इन अनुपस्थित कर्मचारियों की सेवाएं समाप्त करने के लिए नियमों के तहत अनुशासनात्मक कार्रवाई शुरू की है.

रेलवे ने सभी अधिकारियों और पर्यवेक्षकों को उचित प्रक्रिया पर अमल के बाद कर्मचारियों की सूची से इनका नाम हटाने का निर्देश दिया है.

Central Government Approves Maternity Leave For Employees Opting For Surrogacy

Central Government Approves Maternity Leave For Employees Opting For Surrogacy

The ministry has written to all central government departments about a 2015 Delhi High Court order on this issue.

Central government's women employees, whose children are born through surrogacy, will now be entitled to maternity leave, according to an official order of the personnel ministry.

The employees can avail of paid maternity leaves up to 26 weeks (about 180 days).

The ministry has written to all central government departments about a 2015 Delhi High Court order on this issue.

“All ministries / departments are advised to give wide publicity of its contents to the concerned officers,” the personnel ministry said in its latest directive to all the ministries and enclosed a copy of the court’s order with it.

The court verdict had come on a plea by a Kendriya Vidyalaya teacher who had twins through surrogacy but was denied maternity leave as she was not the biological mother.

"A female employee, who is the commissioning mother, would be entitled to apply for maternity leave," the court had held.

Based on material placed before it, the competent authority would decide on the timing and the period for which maternity leave ought to be granted to a commissioning mother who adopts the surrogacy route, the court said.

The scrutiny would be keener and detailed, when leave is sought by a female employee, who is the commissioning mother, at the pre-natal stage, it said.

In case maternity leave is declined at the pre-natal stage, the competent authority would pass a reasoned order having regard to the material, if any, placed before it, by the female employee, who seeks to avail maternity leave, the court order said.

In a situation where both the commissioning mother and the surrogate mother are employees, who are otherwise eligible for leave (one on the ground that she is a commissioning mother and the other on the ground that she is the pregnant women), suitable adjustment would be made by the competent authority, it said.